Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1123 - 6.1.1 INTRODUCTION

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### 6.1.1 INTRODUCTION

Every host MUST implement a resolver for the Domain Name System (DNS), and it MUST implement a mechanism using this DNS resolver to convert host names to IP addresses and vice-versa [DNS:1, DNS:2].

In addition to the DNS, a host MAY also implement a host name translation mechanism that searches a local Internet host table. See Section 6.1.3.8 for more information on this option.

DISCUSSION:

  Internet host name translation was originally performed by searching local copies of a table of all hosts. This table became too large to update and distribute in a timely manner and too large to fit into many hosts, so the DNS was invented.

  The DNS creates a distributed database used primarily for the translation between host names and host addresses. Implementation of DNS software is required. The DNS consists of two logically distinct parts: name servers and resolvers (although implementations often combine these two logical parts in the interest of efficiency) [DNS:2].

  Domain name servers store authoritative data about certain sections of the database and answer queries about the data. Domain resolvers query domain name servers for data on behalf of user processes. Every host therefore needs a DNS resolver; some host machines will also need to run domain name servers. Since no name server has complete information, in general it is necessary to obtain information from more than one name server to resolve a query.

Next: 6.1.2 PROTOCOL WALK-THROUGH

Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1123 - 6.1.1 INTRODUCTION